Ainen Chronicles: Jordan’s Quest

by Kyla Logan

  He leaned over and gripped her wrists in his large hand. She could tell he wanted to, in fact needed to, dominate her. As it was what her wolf needed, she let him have his way.

  Her body trembled as it was overrun with sensation. She felt as though she was going to explode from the feelings of pleasure that coursed through her.

  Then she felt his mouth on her neck, licking and nipping at the sensitive skin. She felt one lick, then a second, and then the scrape of his teeth over her vein, followed by the pleasure/pain as his teeth sank deep into her jugular.

  Micaela moaned as white-hot waves of sensation focused itself on two points on her body. Jordan kept her still as his body plunged and thrust into her. He possessed her in a second way as he took her blood into his body, linking them both for all time in the way of his people.

  Micaela took the information direct from Jordan’s mind. He had opened up a link between them that would never be closed. She could read that as plainly as if he had said the words aloud.

  Her body shuddered as the overwhelming dual sensations of being possessed grew too much for her and she fell, or rather was thrust into another orgasm.

  Jordan closed the wound he had made on her neck. At the same time his body thrust harder and harder as his cock spurted deep inside her.

  Micaela slowly came down from the high she had just experienced, once again unlike anything that had gone before. Nothing had prepared her for domination like this.

  Nothing.

  Jordan moved back, letting his cock spring clear from her pussy. He drew her close to him, so close she could feel his still hard cock pressed between both of their bodies.

  Caela didn’t know what to say or think about how she had behaved with this stranger. It was unlike her normal sedate existence. The only time she let herself be true to herself was when she was in her wolf form. To have sex with someone she had just met was reprehensible to her.

  “Don’t think that, my mate. What we shared was beautiful. I won’t have even you putting what we experienced in the category of just sex.”

  Micaela could hear the anger and frustration in Jordan’s voice. He had been following her thoughts without her realising. How could she block him out again?

  “You cannot, Micaela. We are life mates. I took your blood in the way of my people. It is irreversible,” he said through clenched teeth.

  Oh yes, she was pissing him off!

  Micaela tried to find the path to his thoughts. If he could read hers she wanted to find the answers to the many questions she had for him. But try as she might she couldn’t make the connection again.

  “Why can’t I read you any more? I was able to when we…” She broke off, not wanting to experience his displeasure by calling it fucking again.

  “You have yet to drink my blood, my mate. I hoped you would have when we made love this time. But maybe you need to face me for that.”

  Micaela heard the question in his voice. He was partially correct; a shifter bit their mate to join with them for life. But she could have bitten his wrist if she had wanted to, to make the circle complete.

  But she had found she couldn’t contemplate taking that final, all decisive step. It was one thing to mate, have sex… fuck. Whatever the hell he wanted to call the act.

  It was another to tie herself to this male, even though her wolf recognised him as her mate… when she didn’t know what he was!

  Chapter Nine

  Jordan read her thoughts as easily as he heard his own. He should have realised things had happened too quickly for her. She needed time to come to terms with the fact that with him as her life mate, life as she knew it would change.

  He reached up and pumped the soap from the dispenser into his hands, then started to wash Micaela once more. She seemed startled at his lack of response to her wild thoughts of a moment ago. But she repeated his actions, and to his delight rubbed over his chest and arms with soapy hands.

  Jordan could tell from her gentle touches, not to mention her thoughts, that she found touching him pleasurable. The fact that she didn’t want to feel that way he put out of his mind. Once he explained about himself and his people, she would understand why he couldn’t wait to claim her.

  He reached over and touched the controls to speed up the jets. The sooner they were cleansed and dry, the sooner he could explain things to her.

  Turning off the water, Jordan led the way out of the cubicle, and reached for one of the towels sitting on the shelf. Wrapping one around his waist he picked up another and started to dry Micaela.

  “I can do this myself, Jordan,” Micaela said quickly.

  “I know. I just like touching you, little one,” Jordan said huskily.

  Micaela pulled the towel out of his hands. She had the most delightful blush on her cheeks as she finished drying herself.

  Jordan absently rubbed himself dry, keeping close contact with his mate’s mind. There was no telling what she would decide to do. “Come through to the bedroom. We need to talk.”

  “I also need some clothes. You didn’t bring them with us when you… moved us here.” The last was said hesitantly as she followed him into his bedroom. Jordan watched as she took in the large bed that filled up a good portion of the floor space. He’d had it especially made. Not being of small proportions, even a super-king sized bed was not large enough for him to sleep comfortably.

  Walking over to his built-in wardrobe, Jordan pulled out one of his shirts and moved closer to Micaela. “Here you are… you will feel more comfortable with something on.”

  She grabbed the shirt from his hands before turning away and slipping it on. Fastening the buttons, she turned back to face him. “Thanks, but aren’t you going to put on something yourself?”

  Jordan decided that although he could dress in the conventional method, he would show her some of his powers. He waved his hand and instantly he had a pair of jeans on… which he left unfastened at the waist.

  Micaela blinked, and then looked up into his face, blue eyes showing their surprise at his seemingly careless use of power. She shook her head at him, and then said, “Talk. You said you would explain about who and what you are. I know you are not human, Jordan. Neither are your colleagues -- please, I feel like I am drowning here.”

  She said the last with a catch in her throat. Jordan pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her and stroking her short hair. “I know this has been alarming for you, little one, but are you agreed that we are life mates?” Jordan put a finger under her chin and lifted up her face so he could see her expression.

  Micaela attempted to move away from him, but he wouldn’t let her go without a response. “All right, yes, I know you are my mate. But what are you, Jordan? Please tell me. But can we go to another room? I feel… unsettled in your bedroom.”

  He agreed; this was not the place to have a discussion about his roots. Without replying, Jordan teleported them to his den.

  Letting Micaela go when she pulled away this time, he watched her as she looked around the cosy room. It was his favourite room in his home. He spent a lot of time here… or rather had spent a lot of time here in the past, before he and his fellow Ainen had something to aim for, a quest to achieve.

  Taking the initiative, Jordan sat down in his favourite chair beside the open fire. Reaching out with his mind he ignited the ready laid peat, watching as it caught fire and heat began to fill the room.

  Micaela glanced at the fire, then at him, before shaking her head and walking over to the chair opposite him.

  Waiting until she looked at him expectantly, Jordan began to tell her about how he and his fellow Ainen had crashed on Earth.

  “We found out the hard way that your sun is not like our gentle star. It claimed the lives of two of our tutors before we had even recovered from the crash landing.” Breaking off, Jordan cleared his throat; even after two millennia he still grieved the loss of those two teachers.

  “Once we recovered sufficiently, and after our remaining tutors gathe
red as much information as was possible from inside the ship, we decided that we needed to move around at night. But even with supplements to our diet that the ship provided, we were becoming ill, anaemic. We could only surmise, or rather our tutors did, that the sun and the atmosphere had something to do with the breakdown of our red blood cell count. It was by accident that we discovered that blood, fresh blood was needed.”

  Jordan broke off, waiting to see if Micaela had any questions she needed to ask.

  She looked at him with a sympathetic look on her face, “It must have been horrible for you all. You were so young.”

  Jordan continued, “One evening, some of the natives gathered outside the ship’s entrance. We had seen them from a distance many times. But as we didn’t interfere with them, they left us alone. Perivel and Jaden, two of our tutors, went out to see what they wanted. We gathered close to the doorway, in case we were needed to help control their minds. It was as though a light was switched on. The instant that the two of them were in close proximity to the natives, the scent of their blood drew them… and us as we were all mind linked.”

  “I know why you took my blood earlier; you let me see that it was part of the binding rituals for your people.”

  “Yes, we were born with incisors that retract. We use them to bring pleasure to our life mates, and to complete our mating link. But now we also use them to supplement our need to replace our red blood cells. Without this we would fade away and die.”

  “What is the name of your people, Jordan? How long have you been stranded on Earth?”

  Jordan looked into the flames. This was the question he had been dreading. How would she react when she knew his age? “My family -- it is how we view each other, even though there is no blood connection. We are all called Ainen; we are the followers of the goddess Aine.”

  Micaela gave him a surprised look, one he couldn’t read. “And your answer to my other question? How old are you, Jordan?”

  Jordan drew in a deep breath. “We crashed on this planet over two thousand years ago, Micaela.”

  Micaela gave a startled laugh. “Goddess, talk about a slight age difference.”

  Before Jordan could answer her, he heard Cayden’s mind voice. Sorry to interrupt, Jordan, but there is a problem at the laboratory. You are needed here.

  Now? Right now? Cannot Rohan or one of the twins cope?

  If it was that simple I would not have bothered you. But we need you here, Jordan.

  Cayden’s voice held a dry expression. Jordan knew he would have helped Rohan to deal with whatever the problem was if he had been able to. What has happened?

  The delivery of the special sugar centrifuges for your mate has arrived damaged. Or should I say smashed to pieces.

  What?

  Jordan jumped to his feet, causing Micaela to spring to hers and lay her hand on his arm. “What’s wrong, Jordan?”

  “Cayden has just given me some disturbing news. I am needed at the laboratory. I will not be long. There is food in the fridge if you get hungry.”

  Jordan knew by the look on Micaela’s face as he disappeared that he would have quite a bit of explaining to do when he returned.

  Micaela watched in disbelief as Jordan faded from her sight. What the fuck was going on?

  Then she thought… this would give her breathing space to get her thoughts together. She could ask the local Alpha’s advice about the information she had gathered so far about this alien race.

  And find out if he knew anything about them.

  Caela walked to the front door of Jordan’s home, and thanked the goddess it was in the country. She closed the door behind her and shifted into her wolf form. Lifting her nose, she scented the area. No one was close, so she took off at a trot in the direction of the grounds surrounding the house.

  Coming to the back of the gardens she noticed a landmark she was familiar with. She couldn’t believe how close Jordan lived to the Alpha. It was only a matter of about five miles across the moors near Loch Stemster till she would reach the little village of Achavanich where Morgan and his mate lived.

  Micaela jumped the fencing easily and started to run in the direction of her lodging. She needed answers -- answers she hoped the Alpha could provide.

  * * *

  Breathing through her mouth, Caela slipped out from the shadows onto the back porch and wasn’t surprised to find Melanie waiting to let her in. “Come in Micaela. Why are you in shifter form? Where is your car?”

  “Let the girl change, Melanie. I can sense something is amiss,” said Morgan as he stood by the kitchen table.

  Caela started her shift, visualising her human form, with hands and arms instead of paws and legs. She was loath to give up her stronger, more powerful shape, but only as a woman could she get the answers she needed.

  She saw the surprise in both their eyes when she shifted and they could see all she had on was a man’s shirt.

  Running her hand through her short hair, she said, “Can I have a drink of water please? I feel kind of thirsty.”

  She broke off as she staggered. The adrenaline of the last few hours had faded quickly. Morgan lifted her into his arms and carried her through to the living room. Placing her on the sofa, he stood back to let Melanie give her a glass with deliciously cold water in it.

  Micaela drank slowly. She needed to gather her thoughts before asking her questions. After she finished she handed the glass back to Melanie and swung her legs to the floor. She felt more in control sitting than she had with her legs up on the couch.

  “I think it’s time you told us why you arrived home without your car, and without the clothes you wore this morning, Micaela.”

  Morgan’s deep brogue brought her attention firmly back to him. Clearing her throat, Micaela said, “I met my mate at the laboratory today.” Holding up her hand to stop their comments, Micaela continued, “But I also discovered something else, something unbelievable. He is not human, and neither are at least three others at the lab.”

  Micaela watched Morgan and Melanie. The Alpha showed no surprise at her words. Melanie’s reaction was different. She clutched her throat when she heard that they were not human. But her eyes gave her away; she knew there were other beings -- aliens here in Scotland.

  “You both knew about the Ainen,” Micaela stated.

  Morgan looked at his mate, and then nodded his head toward the door. Melanie left the room, closing the door behind her.

  “Yes, we knew that four of the Ainen were running this complex of Ainen Industries. Only the Alpha and Enforcer pair has had access to this information. Let me continue. Micaela, you have found out something that as a pack member you would never have been privy to before.”

  He broke off as Melanie opened the door with a tray in her hands. Morgan got to his feet to take the tray from her. After closing the door Melanie poured out the herbal tea into a cup for each of them.

  Micaela didn’t know what to say in reply to this unbelievable information. “You knew and didn’t tell me? Why not when you knew my wolf would let me know they were different, and not human.”

  Because I gave them instructions not to, little daughter.

  Micaela dropped the delicate china cup and saucer as she jumped to her feet at the sound of the disembodied voice. She watched as a figure solidified, as the features became clearer so she could see it was a beautiful woman standing before her.

  Her auburn hair flowed down her back in waves to her hips. Her green eyes were framed by dark lashes. Her face was oval with high cheekbones, set off with plump rosy lips. She stood a few inches taller than Micaela.

  The Alpha pair stood and bowed their heads to the woman.

  “Sit down, my friends. You know I need none of that,” she said in a melodious voice.

  Turning back to Micaela she glanced at the shirt she had on, before looking into her eyes. “Would you like to change into something more practical or are you comfortable in your mate’s shirt, Micaela?”

  Caela knew who this was,
but she had never been one of the privileged few who she had appeared before. “I am fine as I am, my Lady,” she said quietly, bowing her head as she waited for instructions.

  “None of that from you either, my daughter. I want you to just call me Gaea.”

  Micaela was stunned by this development. What other revelations was she going to be privy to before this unreal seeming day ended?

  Letting Gaea sit down first, Micaela and the Alpha pair followed, and waited until she began her explanation.

  “I will start at the beginning, since you do not know these facts, Micaela. When the Ainen crashed on Earth -- and once I saw they were peaceful and made no move to hurt the humans living here -- I enclosed them in the protective barrier that I had placed around the whole planet. This hid them from others searching for them, because at the time I didn’t know if these seekers were friend or foe. As the years turned to centuries, I saw the difficulties that would lie ahead. My human creatures would evolve, but would have no concern for anyone or anything that came after them.”

  Gaia broke off to accept a cup from Melanie. After a sip she continued her tale. “I was also becoming concerned about the Ainen. By this time they had submerged their space ship. They were good children, but I wanted to keep a close eye on them, something that was impossible for me to do alone, as they decided to split up into little groups to start exploring the planet. That was when I had the idea of creating a group of people who would police them, who would watch them and step in if needed.”

  “My Lady -- I mean, Gaea -- I know that you made the shifter race, but you have answered a question that has long troubled me. Why you made us.”

  “Yes, I knew that you wondered, just as quite a few of my people have wondered. But we are getting off the subject. After the shifters were made, I gave the task to the natural leaders among them to watch the Ainen. It was through trial and error that the present system of government came about. I am proud of my shifter sons and daughters; they have far exceeded my expectations.”

  After taking another sip of liquid, she continued, “There was one other reason why you were created, one that until now has been kept secret even from the Alphas. And that is that some of you in this present generation of shifters will be or could be mates to the Ainen.”